The 10 Best Cliff Jumping Spots in New York
New York has 15 documented cliff jumping spots on CliffScout, 14 of them community-verified. These are the standouts — ranked by verification, documentation, and community activity, not hype. Every listing links to a full page with photos, heights, and access notes.
New York is one of the best cliff jumping states in the Northeast, with three distinct regions. The Finger Lakes gorges around Ithaca — Buttermilk Falls and Potter's Falls on Six Mile Creek — are iconic. The Catskills hold a deep tradition: Fawns Leap in Kaaterskill Clove, the Plattekill (Platte Clove), and the famous Peekamoose Blue Hole on Rondout Creek. Up north, the Adirondacks offer the Ausable River, Bluff Island on Saranac Lake, Split Rock Falls, and Pharaoh Lake, plus Lake George and Lake Champlain. Water is cold, many gorge spots are officially closed after fatalities, and Peekamoose requires a summer permit — so know the rules before you go.
- 1
Salmon River Falls Verified
Altmar
Salmon River Falls is a dramatic 110-foot ledge waterfall in the DEC's Salmon River Falls Unique Area near Altmar, in Oswego County. From Pulaski, take Route 13 to Altmar, turn onto County Route 22 (Cemetery Street), continue… Full guide →
- 2
Historic Robert’s Quarry Verified
Cortlandt Manor · jumps ~30 ft
An abandoned, flooded stone quarry near Walter Panas High School, now hidden by dense forest. It has steep rock faces with jumps estimated around 20–40+ ft. The water may look clear but quality and submerged hazards are… Full guide →
- 3
Buttermilk Falls Verified
Ithaca · jumps 6–100 ft
Buttermilk Falls State Park sits on Route 13 south of Ithaca at 106 E. Buttermilk Falls Rd; day-use parking is $10 (cars, April-November) or free with an Empire Pass. From the lot it is a short walk to the lower gorge, where… Full guide →
- 4
Peekamoose Blue Hole Verified
Sundown
Peekamoose Blue Hole is a deep, glacially clear pool on Rondout Creek in the Catskills' Sundown Wild Forest, one of the Hudson Valley's most iconic swimming holes. Park at the signed Peekamoose Mountain trailhead lot on Route 42… Full guide →
- 5
The Oxbows, Cadyville Verified
Cadyville · jumps 5–45 ft
The Oxbows is a bend of the Saranac River in Cadyville, Clinton County, reached via Kent Falls Road off Route 3, which dead-ends at parking near the river. Until 2020 jumpers used the historic Oxbow truss bridge here; the county… Full guide →
- 6
Wintergreen Park (Canajoharie Falls Gorge) Verified
Canajoharie
Wintergreen Park in the village of Canajoharie is a free municipal park built around the Canajoharie Creek gorge. From the upper lot, a 0.75-mile Scenic Trail leads to a deck overlooking 40-foot Wintergreen (Canajoharie) Falls; a… Full guide →
- 7
Lake Champlain Cliff Diving Verified
Essex · jumps 10–80 ft
This is a lake-facing bluff on the New York shore of Lake Champlain, roughly across the water from the Basin Harbor Club near Ferrisburgh, VT, between Essex and Westport. It's boat-access only in practice - no maintained trail or… Full guide →
- 8
Fawn's Leap Verified
Haines Falls
Fawn's Leap is a well-documented, roughly 24-foot waterfall and swimming hole on Kaaterskill Creek beside Route 23A in Kaaterskill Clove, between Palenville and Haines Falls in the Town of Hunter. Roadside parking is limited and… Full guide →
- 9
High Falls Verified
High Falls
High Falls is a real hamlet on the Rondout Creek in Ulster County, straddling Marbletown and Rosendale. The namesake falls, reportedly about 30 feet high and 200 feet wide, sit beside the village along County Route 213. Public… Full guide →
- 10
Bear Mountain State Park cliff jump (McCoy Road) Verified
Highland Falls · jumps ~70 ft
This unofficial jump spot sits inside Bear Mountain State Park near Fort Montgomery, a few minutes from the Bear Mountain Bridge. From the bridge-area roundabout, follow signs toward West Point/Newburgh, cross the river, turn… Full guide →
Exact coordinates, water depths, and community clips for every spot above:
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Cliff jumping in New York: common questions
Where can you cliff jump in New York?
Around Ithaca: Buttermilk Falls and Potter's Falls. In the Catskills: Fawns Leap, Platte Clove, and Peekamoose Blue Hole. In the Adirondacks: the Ausable River, Bluff Island (Saranac Lake), Split Rock Falls, and Lake George.
Is cliff jumping legal in New York?
Many of the gorge and waterfall spots are officially prohibited and patrolled, especially after drownings, and the Peekamoose Blue Hole requires a permit on summer weekends. Jumping is widespread but often illegal — check local rules and signs.
Is the water cold at New York cliff jumping spots?
Yes. Adirondack and Catskill water is cold even in midsummer, and the deep gorge pools (like Peekamoose) stay frigid — cold-water shock is a real risk.
Browse the full list: all 15 spots in New York